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Five experiments investigated predictions--derived from a dual-retrieval process approach to free recall (Brainerd, C. J., Wright, R., Reyna, V. F., & Payne, D. G. (2002). Dual-retrieval processes in free and associative recall. Journal of Memory and Language, 46, 120-152.)--about false memories in a DRM-like paradigm. In all the experiments, the presence of the critical words in the study lists was manipulated within subjects. In all the experiments, the output position of presented critical words was earlier than the output position of nonpresented critical words and the output positions of both types of words was closer to the center than to the ends of the recall protocols. In Experiments 2-5, unrelated words were intermixed with related words in the study lists. In all of these experiments, recall of related words was greater than recall of unrelated words. However, in Experiments 4 and 5, the advantage for recall of related words was greater after the critical item was output than before it was output. These findings were consistent with the notions that: (1) there are two successive retrieval processes (direct access of verbatim traces and reconstruction from gist traces) in free recall, (2) items are recalled in ascending order of strength during direct access and descending order of strength during reconstruction from gist, and (3) false memories for words are attributable to reconstruction from gist traces.

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) viruses occasionally infect, but typically do not transmit, in mammals. In the spring of 2024, an unprecedented outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in bovine herds occurred in the USA, with virus spread within and between herds, infections in poultry and cats, and spillover into humans, collectively indicating an increased public health risk 1-4 . Here we characterize an HPAI H5N1 virus isolated from infected cow milk in mice and ferrets. Like other HPAI H5N1 viruses, the bovine H5N1 virus spread systemically, including to the mammary glands of both species, however, this tropism was also observed for an older HPAI H5N1 virus isolate. Bovine HPAI H5N1 virus bound to sialic acids expressed in human upper airways and inefficiently transmitted to exposed ferrets (one of four exposed ferrets seroconverted without virus detection). Bovine HPAI H5N1 virus thus possesses features that may facilitate infection and transmission in mammals., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Allergic asthma (AA) is characterized as a Th2-biased airway inflammation that can develop lung inflammation and remodeling of the respiratory tract. Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major respiratory pathogen, causing noninvasive (otitis media and pneumonia) and invasive diseases (sepsis) in humans. We sought to determine the role of IL-6 in the regulation of lung inflammation in murine AA caused by Aspergillus fumigatus as well as its consequence on the regulation of airway barrier integrity and S. pneumoniae disease. In an AA model, IL-6 deficiency led to increased lung inflammation, eosinophil recruitment, tissue pathology, and collagen deposition. Additionally, IL-6-deficient asthmatic mice exhibited reduced goblet cell hyperplasia and increased TGF-β production. These key changes in the lungs of IL-6-deficient asthmatic mice resulted in dysregulated tight junction proteins and increased lung permeability. Whereas the host response to AA protected against S. pneumoniae lung disease, the IL-6 deficiency abrogated the protective effect of allergic inflammation against S. pneumoniae pathogenesis. Consistent with in vivo data, IL-6 knockdown by small interfering RNA or the blockade of IL-6R signaling exacerbated the TGF-β-induced dysregulation of tight junction proteins, E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression, and STAT3 phosphorylation in MLE-12 epithelial cells. Our findings demonstrate a previously unrecognized role of host IL-6 response in the regulation of lung inflammation during AA and the control of S. pneumoniae bacterial disease. A better understanding of the interactions between lung inflammation and barrier framework could lead to the development of therapies to control asthma inflammation and preserve barrier integrity., (Copyright © 2020 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)

Hip arthrodesis remains an option for treatment of severe arthritis in young persons resulting primarily from osteonecrosis, congenital dysplasia, and joint sepsis. The authors reviewed six patients who underwent fusions as young adults (average age: 30.8 years) with an average follow-up period of 11.7 years. Solid arthrodesis without infection was noted in all cases. Patients who worked returned to prior employment without limitation. All patients complained of symptomatic low back pain and felt ambulation was limited by ipsilateral knee pain. Five of six noted impaired sexual function; although childbearing was not affected in one case. Four of six were satisfied with the operation, but only three of six would undergo it again given the alternative of total joint arthroplasty.

Two experiments investigated semantic priming effects in a modified version of the Dagenbach, Carr, and Barnhardt (1990) rare-word paradigm. After learning a list of rare words to a criterion of 50% recall, subjects participated in a lexical decision task in which the rare words served as primes. When the targets were associatively related to the primes, lexical decision responses were facilitated following recalled definitions and inhibited following unrecalled definitions. When the targets were synonyms of the rare words, facilitation occurred following both recalled and unrecalled definitions. The results were interpreted as supporting a center-surround model of attentional retrieval that may serve an adaptive role in new learning.

In response to Greenwald's article on contemporary research on unconscious mental processes, the authors address three issues: (a) the independence of much recent research and theory from psychodynamic formulations; (b) the broad sweep of the psychological unconscious, including implicit perception, memory, thought, learning, and emotion; and (c) the possibility that the analytic power of unconscious processing may depend both on the manner in which mental contents are rendered unconscious and the manner in which they are to be processed.

The use of internal fixation for posterior malleolar fractures remains controversial. This study assessed the contribution of the posterior malleolus/posterior tibiofibular (PM/PTF) complex to ankle stability in the loaded condition. Total plantarflexion and dorsiflexion, torsion, version, and drawer were measured with 15- and 70-kg loads before and after creation of posterior malleolar fractures that measured 25% of the distal articular surface. After internal fixation, specimens were retested. Fractures caused significant increases with internal rotation and posterior drawer at 15- and 70-kg loads in the neutral position. External rotation, anterior drawer, and dorsiflexion increased at 15-kg load. Fixation increased stability of fractured specimens, but not significantly. Fractures of the PM/PTF ligament complex may lead to excessive internal rotation and posterior instability in the loaded state.